Electrical distant control apparatus for the fire control of ordnance and for other purposes



Feb. 2, 1932. N. E. METHLIN 1,843,881

ELECTRICAL DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR THE FIRE CONTROL OF ORDNANCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Filed Dec. 5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 a? M, W

Feb. 2, 1932. N. E. METHLIN I ELECTRICAL DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR THE FIRE CONTROL OF OHDNANCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Filed Dec. 3, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 1A ca/vaw'rwa Feb. 2,

1932- N. E. METHLIN 1,843,881

ELECTRICAL DISTANT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR THE FIRE CONTROL OF ORDNANCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Filed Dec. 3, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 SYNC/780N003 -lM0(/C 77/16 Patented Feb. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NICOLAS EHILIEN METHLIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR 10 SCHNEIDER & CD1, 01 PARIS, FRANCE, A LIMITED JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE ELECTRICAL DIBTAN'I' CONTROL APPARATUS FOR THE FIRE CONTROL OF ORDINANCE AND FOR o'rmm PURPOSES Application fled December 3, 1925, Serial No. 78,068, and in France December 27, 1924.

The object of this invention is to enable the placing of members of any kind in a predetermined position to be controlled from a distance.

The invention is more particularly applicable to the fire control of ordnance.

In conformity with the present invention, a sending station and one or more receiving stations are provided with suitable transmitting and receiving means respectively, whereby movable elements, such as guns, at the receiving stations may be made to constantly follow the movements of a control element such as a sighting telescope, for example, atthe sending station. The transmitting and receiving means per se may be of any suitable type, either wireless or wired transmission being employed for this apparatus. Preferably, the electrical energy which is transmitted to the receiving stations actuates a suitable signaling device which indicates to the operator the manner in which the gun, for example. must be moved to follow the control element at the sending stat-ion. .Any suitable type of signaling or indicating device may be employed at the receiving station such as visual indicators, lamps, telephone receivers, etc. In other cases it may be preferable to provide automatic means for actuating the gun, and to either operate or control these automatic means from the sending station.

Figures 1 and 1A in the accompanying drawings show, by way of example, a diagrammatic arrangement of a transmitting station and a receiving station for distant control by wireless.

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically an embodiment of the invention which may be employed when the distant control is to be obtained automatically and by wires.

In Fi ures 1 and 1A, 1 and 2 are the shafts two synchronous motors, turning in the same direction, and arranged one at the transmitting station and the other at the receiving station respectively. These motors are adapted to actuate any suitable type of c rcuit interrupting means whereby the circuits at the sending and receiving stations are periodically interrupted as will be more switch relative to one another, in accordance with the movements of the telescope or other suitable control element. This may be accomplished either by shifting the brush 4 relative to the rotary switch, or by displacing the field of the synchronous motor by any known electrical or mechanical means.

In the form shown, the brush 4 is carried by a toothed disc which is operatively connected to the control element, and which may be rotated about the shaft 1 by means of a worm gear and handle 5.

Similarly the shaft 2 actuates a rotary switch, comprising two conducting sectors 6 and 7, (each extending for example over an arc of 119 and separated from each other by two insulating gaps extending for example over 1 and 121 respectively) rigidly attached to 2 and a brush 8 the surface of contact of which extends for example over an arc of 1 and which is carried by a toothed disc operatively connected to the gun which may be rotated about 2 by actuating the handle 9. Y

The switch at the transmitting station is employed as an automatic contro ling device of a suitable wireless telephony transmitting installation comprising for example a threeelectrode valve 10, a battery 11 for heating the filament, a self-inductance 12 connected to the grid, a self-inductance 13, connected to the anode, a condenser 14, a battery 15 connected to the plate, an inductance 16 in the aerial, an aerial 17, an earth connection 18, a tu nin fork l9 maintained in vibration electrica ly and a microphone 20 coupled to 16 for effecting the modulation.

The automatic control of the transmitting apparatus is preferably obtained by connecting the rotary switch 3 and the brush 4 in the plate circuit of said apparatus.

Similarly, the rotating contacts 6 and 7 the aerial, connected to earth at 25, a selfinductance in the secondary circuit 26 and a crystal 27.

In the following description it is to be understood that coincidence is obtained when the brushes 4 and 8 are placed in such a way that 3 commences to touch at at the moment contact is broken between 'i' and 8.

It is seen as a consequence that when coincidence is obtained no sound will be heard, either in the right hand telephone or in the left hand one.

It is also seen that the right hand telephone 22 will alone be actuated if 8 is displaced in an opposite direction to that of the arrow, relatively to the position giving coincidence and that the left hand telephone 21 will be alone actuated if 8 is displaced in the direction of the arrow relatively to the position giving coincidence.

It is finally seen that, as long as the displacement is less than 120, the period of duration of the sound heard in one or the other of the telephones will be as much longer as the displacement is greater.

It is therefore possible, by actuating the handle 9, according to the indications received in the headphones to make the displacements of 8 follow those communicated to 4.

It is not indispensable for the sectors of the switch and the circuit breakers to cover, as mentioned above, an arc of 119. Sectors may in fact be adopted, for example, which extend over a greater arc, provided that the coincidence of the positions of the brushes is regulated upon the equality of duration of the sounds heard in each of the two telephones 21 and 22.

With synchronous motors, rotating in a strictly uniform manner, the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 1A will obviously.

enable very great accuracy to be obtained.

With synchronous motors, in which hunting occurs, in order to obtain silence in the two telephones, it will be necessary to reduce a little the extent of the conducting sectors and the accuracy will not be so great.

One can always obtain, however, the desired degree of precision by utilizing, as heretofore proposed, the combination of two transmissions, the first of which gives an approximate indication and the second of which. gives a precision indication.

It will be assumed, for example, in the following description, that it is required to transmit the azimuth of an objective with the accuracy of 1/6000 of a. turn, and that the device previously described can only give an accuracy corresponding to 1/200 of a turn.

To solve this problem, one can consider the azimuthal circle as formed by the juxtaposition of thirty sectors of 12 each. A first transmission is employed (of approximation) to indicate the number of the sector, and a second transmission (precision transmission) to indicate the position of the objective in the sector under consideration. The first transmission will be rigidly connected to the si ,hting telescope in order to reproduce all 0 its large displacements while the second will be connected to the telescope by gears in'such a manner as to make 30 turns for one turn of the telescope.

The switch for the transmission of the approximation will comprise a rotating sector of approximately 109, so that this transmission remains inactive as long as the angular displacement is less than about 10.

In order to distinguish the two transmissions there are adopted different wave lengths (L for the approximation and 1 for the precision) and also different modulations.

The operative at the receiving station may then employ a special head set carrying two listening devices for the left ear and two for the right ear, but it will be evident that he can also employ a head set of the ordinary type because the telephonic receivers 21 and 22 may be common to the two transmissions.

In order not to strain the hearing of the gunner, a modulation will preferably be adopted upon a high note for the approximation transmission and a modulation upon a lower note for the precision transmission; further, in order to assist the operation of approximation, a switch may be interposed between 27 and 8 which will enable the gunner length 1.

It is pointed out that the two transmissions may have in common, at the transmitting sta- 7 tion, an antenna and synchronous motor, and at the receiving station an antenna'and the primary of the high frequency transformer mounted aperiodically, the synchronous m0- tor and as already pointed out above, the telephonic receivers.

Valves may obviously be employed in the place of a crystal, for receiving, and when valves are employed for receiving it will be advantageous, in order to avoid any disturbance to adopt an autodyne connection.

By using wave lengths of approximately 200 metres and suitably regulating the frequency of the waves generated at the transmitting station, the resulting beats may in to temporarily out out reception upon wave very accurate syntony.

fact be received with a reat strength and a fi'he modulation may also be replaced b a small periodic variation in the wave length obtained by acting in the known manner upon the tuning of the transmittlng valve Wlth a condenser of periodical-- ly varying capacity; this condenser may be .constructed by causing the blanks and the spaces of a crenelated disc mounted. upon the shaft of the synchronous motor to pass in front of a fixed armature.

It is obvious that the telephones 21 and 22 which form phonic relays may be replaced by any other relays and that use may be made, in particular, in place of them, for example, of either voltmeters (mechanical relays), or of small valves (optical relays) of different colours. But two distinct relays will be needed for each transmission, that is, a total or four relays when use is made simultaneously of a precision transmission and an approximation transmission. v

In the case Where the orders received are to be carried out automatically it is sufficient to replace the telephone receivers 21 and 22 by two relays acting, by known means, so as to bring into action an electric motor arranged in such a way as to act, in the place of the gunner, upon the handle 9.

If, in this case, use is to be made of two conjugated transmissions in order to obtain,

as described previously, more accuracy, the

circuit ending at the brush 8 of the precision receiver will have to be broken automatically as soon as a current passes through the circuit closed by the corresponding brush of the approximation transmission.

This automatic breaking of the circuit may be obtained by an electromagnet interposed in the said circuit and this relay will have to be provided with a suitable cascade which only allows the current to be re-established upon 8 after the first approximation operation has been completed. 1

In the case where the transmission is to be made along wires it is suflicient to interpose a generator of electricity. having an audible frequency, between 4 and 8, and to connect to the brush which presses upon the ring communicating with 3. the point common to the circuits of 21 and 22. The transmission by wires may also be'obtained by interposing a continuous current generator between 4 and 8 and by replacing (as described above) the telephones 21 and 22 by two small differently coloured valves.

Fig. Q illnstrates another embodiment of the invention wherein the wireless transmitting and receiving installation is replaced by a wire transmission and a suitable source of power and wherein the movable brush at the receiving station is actuated directly by an electrical motor controlled from the sending station.

In Figure 2, 28 and 29 are the shafts of two'synchronous motors rotating in the same direction and placed one at the transmitting station and the other at the receiving station.

The shaft 28 actuates a rotary switch comprising two conducting sectors 30 and 31 (each extending for example over an arc of 90 and separated by two insulating gaps extending for example one over 2 and the other over 178) and a brush 32 (making contact, for example. over 1) carried upon a toothed disc which may be rotated about 28 by actuating the handle 33.

The shaft 29 actuates a rotary switch similar to the previous one. comprising two conducting sectors 34 and 35 and a brush 36 carried upon a toothed disc which may be rotated about 29, by actuating the worm 37.

The sectors 30 and 34 are connected by brushes 38 and 39 to one of the poles of a source of electricity 40.

The sectors 31 and 35 are connected by brushes 41 and 42 to the other pole of the source 40. The brushes 32 and 36 are connected one to each of, the two brushes of the armature 43 of amotor the field magnet of which is constantly excited.

Hereinafter, coincidence will' be understood to be obtained when the brushes 32 and 36 occupv similar positions upon the two circuit breakers.

It is seen as a consequence that when coincidence is obtained them-mature 43 will be at rest.

It is further seen that 43 will turn in one d rection or the other if 36 is displaced in the direction of the arrow, or in the opposite direction, relatively to the positions of coincidence.

It is finally seen that the armature 43 will turn in jerks and that. as long as the displacement is less than 90, the mean speed of the armature will be greater according as the displacement itself is greater. 7

It is sufficient therefore to control. 37 by 43 by suitably controlling the direction of the current in 44 for 36 to follow faithfully all the displacements of 32.

iVhile two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, itis to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. but is susceptible of a variety of eX- pressions, some of which will now readily suggest themselves. and that changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and details of construction without departing'from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

I claim:

1. Inapparatusof the class described, a signalling system including a sending station having a rotating contact. and acircumferentially movable brush assciated therewith, a receiving station having a: plurality of contacts rotating at the same speed as said first named contact, a circumferentially movable brush associated therewith, and a plurality of indicating devices in circuit with said receiving station contacts and brush, means for rotating said receiving station contacts in synchronism with said sending station contact, a source of electrical energy operatively connected in circuit with said first named contact and brush, the engagement of said contacts and brushes completing circuits at said stations whereby energy is transmitted from one station to another only when both brushes simultaneously engaget-heir respective rotating contacts, and means for moving said brushes.

2. In apparatus for controlling a member from a distance, a transmitting station including a continuously rotating contact, a manually and circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, and a source of electrical energy in circuit with said contact and brush, a receiving station including a pair of continuously rotating contacts, a signal device to be energized in circuit with each of said pair of contacts, and a circularferentially adjustable brush associated with said contacts and operatively connected to a member to be controlled, means for rotating said receiving station contacts in synchronism with said transmitting station contact, and a transmission system including said stations, the simultaneous engagement of said contacts and brushes completing circuits to energize one or the other of said devices and said brushes being movable to a position wherein said devices are not energized.

3. in apparatus of the class described, a transmitting station circuit including a rotating contact, a peripherally adjustable brush associated therewith, and a source of electrical energy in circuit with said contact and brush, a receiving station circuit including a plurality of rotating contacts and a peripherally adjustable brush associated therewith, means for rotating said receiving station contacts in synchronism with said transmitting station contact, transmission means between said stations, indicating devices connected with said receiving station contacts, said contacts and associated devices constituting parallel branches of said receiving circuit, and means for peripherally adjusting one of said brushes to a position of coincidence with the other brush wherein no energy is transmitted to the receiving StB/- erally adjustable brush associated therewith, means for rotating said receiving station contacts in synchronism with said transmitting station'contact, transmission means between said stations, said contacts and brushes simultaneously completing the transmitting station and a receiving station circuit through one of said plurality of contacts when said brushes are out of coincidence, sound producing means at said receiving station in circuit with each of said plurality of contacts, and means for adjusting said brushes to a position of coincidence wherein no energy is transmitted.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a radio transmitting circuit, circuit interrupting means associated therewith including a rotating contact and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, a radio receiving circuit, circuit interrupting means associated with said receiving circuit and including a pair of rotating contacts synchronized with said first named contact and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, a sound device in said receiving circuit for each of said pair of con tacts and energized when energy is received through its respective contact, and means for adjusting said brushes to a position of coincidence wherein either said transmitting circuit or said receiving circuit is interrupted at all times.

6. in apparatus for controlling movement from a distance, a transmitting circuit including a source of energy and circuit interrupting means comprising a rotating contact sector and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, a receiving circuit including circuit interrupting means comprising a pair of rotating contact sectors and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, said last named brush being operatively connected to the member to be controlled, means for rotating said pair of contacts and said first named contact in synchronism, a signalling device in circuit with each of said pair of contacts, said contacts and brushes being arranged so that not more than one of said circuits is complete at any instant for one position of said brushes whereby said devices are not energized, and means for adjusting said brushes.

7. In apparatus for controlling movement from a distance, a radio transmitting circuit including a source of power, means for-modulating the current in said circuit, and circuit interrupting means including a rotating contact and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, a radio receiving circuit including a circuit interrupting means comprising a pair of rotating contacts in parallel in said receiving circuit and a circumferentially adjustable brush associatcd therewith, said last named brush being operatively connected to the member to be controlled, means for rotating said pair of contacts and said first named contactin synchronism, said brushes and contacts being arranged so that one of said circuits is at all times interrupted when said brushes are in a position of coincidence, a signalling device in circuit with each of said last named contacts, one or the other of said devices being energized as one of said brushes is displaced in either direction relative to the other brush, and means for adjusting the brushes to a position of coincidence whereby said transmitting circuit and both of said signalling circuits are interrupted at all times.

8. In apparatus for controlling movement of a member from a distance, a transmitting circuit including a source of power and circuit interrupting means comprising a rotating contact and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, a receiv ing circuit including means to be energized and circuit interrupting means comprising a pair of rotating contacts in parallel in said receiving circuit and a circumferentially adjustable brush associated therewith, said lastnamed brush being operatively connected toxtlte member to be controlledymea-ns' for --rotating saidpair of contacts and 'saidfirstnamed contact in synchronism, said brushes and contacts being arranged so thatone of said circuits is interrupted at all times when said brushes are in coincidence, and means for circumferentially moving said brushes, said transmitting station brush when out of coincidenceengaging its contact simultaneously with engagement between said receiving station brush and one of said pair of contacts.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

NICOLAS EMILIEN METHLIN. 

